Sudan being pressured to normalize ties with Israel
The hot debate around the possibility of a Sudan-Israel “bilateral relationship,” mentioned in an article originally published by United States Institute of Peace and posted on brookings.edu mentions “the fragility of Sudan’s political transition and the risks that premature normalization could pose for the strategic interests of the United States, Israel, and the UAE.” The issue isn’t...
African Union seeks permanent seats on Security Council
African leaders over the years have repeatedly called for enlargement of the 15-member United Nations Security Council, the only UN body whose decisions are mandatory. Security Council resolutions have the power of international law and the council includes nations who hold permanent seats with the power to veto resolutions.
UN: Africa loss $800B in illegal transfers in recent years
GENEVA—The United Nations estimates that illegal outflows of capital from Africa totaled over $830 billion in the first 15 years of this century, much of it linked to movements of high-value commodities like gold, diamonds, and platinum—straining the ability of the continent’s governments to provide services like health care, education, and infrastructure. The UN...
Thousands of African workers kept in appalling conditions
Hoping to escape the war, death and destitution rampant in their home countries, thousands of African workers embark every year on a grueling journey to the affluent Persian Gulf countries looking for employment. The more fortunate ones will end up doing backbreaking manual labor earning a pittance, barely enough to make ends meet.
The U.S. role in 1966 coup against Ghana’s President Kwame Nkrumah
The West African country of Ghana celebrated the anniversary of the Sept. 21 birth of its first prime minister and first president, Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah. Celebrated annually and called “Memorial Day,” Ghana was the first sub-Saharan African country to achieve independence. Independence from its British colonizer occurred on March 6, 1957.
As U.S. struggles, Africa’s Covid-19 response is praised
JOHANNESBURG—At a lecture to peers in September, John Nkengasong showed images that once dogged Africa, with a magazine cover declaring it “The Hopeless Continent.” Then he quoted Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah: “It is clear that we must find an African solution to our problems, and that this can only be found in African unity.”
U.S. effort to block Ethiopian dam recalls legacy of British colonialism
(GIN)—Based on guidance from President Trump, the State Department is suspending $130 million in security-related aid to Ethiopia over a nearly-completed dam that would lift Ethiopia from poverty and end the shadow of British colonialism that favored Egypt. Programs on the chopping block include security assistance, counterterrorism and military education and training, anti-human trafficking...
The historical impact of African musicians on the geopolitical stage
When it comes to appreciating the power of African artists and their historical impact on geopolitics there is no shortage of icons from which to choose. A recent documentary produced by France24 focusing on the legacy of Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie is a case in point. His historic...
South Sudan: Progress on peace agreement ‘limps along,’ UN envoy tells security council
Although the transitional government in South Sudan continues to function, with state governors now appointed, among other developments, progress on the 2018 peace agreement “limps along,” the top UN official in the country told a virtual meeting of the Security Council on Sept. 16.. David Shearer, head of the UN Mission in South Sudan...
Africa’s development tied monetary sovereignty and an alternative economic development model
In an open letter signed by 550 internationally renowned personalities, which includes African economists, in a move that’s the intellectual equivalent of marching in the street, they challenged the continent and its leaders “to forge ahead and aspire to a better future in which all of its people can thrive and realize their full potential.”
